How to do the Pull-up, step by step
- Grab the bar with an overhand grip slightly wider than shoulder-width.
- Actively pull your shoulders down before you move.
- Brace your core and drive your elbows toward your hips.
- Get your chin clearly over the bar.
- Lower yourself under control to full arm extension.
Common mistakes and how to fix them
- Chin not over the barkeep pulling until your jaw clearly clears the bar.
- Not extending at the bottomstart every rep from a full hang.
- Passive hang with shrugged shoulderspull your shoulder blades down before every pull.
How to scale the Pull-up
If you can't do the movement cleanly yet or the workout is too heavy, use one of these variations:
- Banded pull-up
- Jumping Pull-up from a box
- Ring Row
Also known as
Pull up · Pullup
Benchmarks with Pull-up
- Fran21-15-9 Thruster 42.5 kg, Pull-ups
- Helen3 RFT: 400 m Run, 21 KB Swings 24 kg, 12 Pull-ups
- Jackie1000 m Row, 50 Thruster 20 kg, 30 Pull-ups
- Cindy20 min AMRAP: 5 Pull-ups, 10 Push-ups, 15 Air Squats
- Mary20 min AMRAP: 5 HSPU, 10 Pistols, 15 Pull-ups
- Chelsea30 min EMOM: 5 Pull-ups, 10 Push-ups, 15 Air Squats
- Murph1 mile Run, 100 Pull-ups, 200 Push-ups, 300 Squats, 1 mile Run (Rx with a 9 kg vest)
- Angie100 Pull-ups, 100 Push-ups, 100 Sit-ups, 100 Air Squats
- Barbara5 rounds: 20 Pull-ups, 30 Push-ups, 40 Sit-ups, 50 Air Squats, 3 min rest between rounds (time includes rest)
- Candy5 RFT: 20 Pull-ups, 40 Push-ups, 60 Air Squats
- Maggie5 RFT: 20 Handstand Push-ups, 40 Pull-ups, 60 Pistols (alternating)
- Eva5 RFT: 800 m Run, 30 KB Swings 32 kg, 30 Pull-ups
- Nicole20 min AMRAP: 400 m Run, max Pull-ups. Score: total pull-ups
- Lynne5 rounds for max reps: Bench Press at body weight, Pull-ups. Score: total reps
- Josh21 OHS 42.5 kg, 42 Pull-ups, 15 OHS, 30 Pull-ups, 9 OHS, 18 Pull-ups
- Badger3 RFT: 30 Squat Cleans 42.5 kg, 30 Pull-ups, 800 m Run
- Daniel50 Pull-ups, 400 m Run, 21 Thruster 42.5 kg, 800 m Run, 21 Thruster, 400 m Run, 50 Pull-ups
- The Seven7 RFT: 7 HSPU, 7 Thruster 60 kg, 7 Knees-to-Elbows, 7 Deadlifts 110 kg, 7 Burpees, 7 KB Swings 32 kg, 7 Pull-ups
- Danny20 min AMRAP: 30 Box Jumps 61 cm, 20 Push Press 52.5 kg, 30 Pull-ups
- Bull2 RFT: 200 Double Unders, 50 OHS 61 kg, 50 Pull-ups, 1 mile Run
- Desforges5 RFT: 12 Deadlifts 102.5 kg, 20 Pull-ups, 12 Clean & Jerks 60 kg, 20 Knees-to-Elbows
- Erin5 RFT: 15 DB Split Cleans 17.5 kg, 21 Pull-ups
- Holbrook10 rounds, each for time: 5 Thruster 52.5 kg, 10 Pull-ups, 100 m Sprint; 1 min rest between rounds
- Nutts10 HSPU, 15 Deadlifts 112.5 kg, 25 Box Jumps 76 cm, 50 Pull-ups, 100 Wall Balls 9 kg, 200 Double Unders, 400 m Run with a 20 kg plate
These descriptions are general guidance and don't replace a coach. Have someone at your box show you new movements, and stop if anything hurts.